A potentiometer is a variable resistor which utilizes a physical knob or other similar mechanical actuation devices in order to directly control the resistance in the circuit. The potentiometer utilizes a rotating knob in order to increase or decrease the overall resistance of the potentiometer in a circuit. In other words, the physical angular positioning of the knob directly determines the resistance produced by the potentiometer. One of the main issues with these potentiometers is when a user inadvertently hits or brushes the knob, thus accidentally turning the knob and resultantly changing the resistance in the connected circuit. This is especially problematic in the music industry as potentiometers are used to control a variety of functions inside an electric guitar such as control tone and volume, blend two pickups together, and attenuate one coil of humbucker.
The present invention solves this problem by integrating a locking mechanism in between the knob shaft and the body of the potentiometer. This ensures that, once set to a specific angular displacement, the potentiometer stays at said displacement. The present invention may be implemented in other fields as well. In general, the present invention is a locking mechanism for devices which utilize rotational motion of a shaft as a means of actuation/input. For example, the present invention may be utilized in push-push pots that toggle the switch simply by pushing on the shaft, no-load pots comprising a resistive element that is disconnected from one of the outer terminals, dual-gang pots, or the like may also be utilized.